Earthquakes and Tornadoes

It was interesting weather in Southern Ontario yesterday.

At around 1:45 p.m. I was working on my article when I heard people saying the building was shaking. I then felt my legs moving.

One coworker decided we needed to leave the building.
Now.
So I grabbed my wallet and purse, unplugged my digital frame and headed outside.

People started receiving texts from loved ones saying they felt their buildings move.

The earthquake, the first I have experienced, hit Ottawa and was felt in Quebec and the northern States.

Last night, a tornado hit Midland, Ontario, about two hours north of my home.

I am terrified of tornadoes, likely dating back to being in girl guide camp when the 1985 tornado swept through Grand Valley and Barrie, killing a number of people.

A police officer came to our camp and told the leaders, my mom included, that a tornado was heading our way and we needed to leave.

In hindsight, that was likely the wrong way to handle the situation. Worse, we actually got into our car and drove home.

Since then, hot weather and thunder storms make me head straight for the computer to check out the Weather Network to see if we are under a tornado warning.

I also tend to spend a lot of time looking at the sky, checking out its colour and wondering if I should take the baby, and now the kitten, and hang out in the basement under the stairs.

With a hot, muggy summer predicted, there is more of a chance of severe weather.

It might be time to create an emergency kit and make the area under the stairs a more comfortable place to be.

And Then There Was Darkness

We had a power outage over the weekend.

What it proved is that we are completely unprepared for an emergency.

While we faired better than most as far as lots of extra water for things like flushing the toilet (we are on a well, which means if there is no power there is also no water), cooking and drinking, we also had a battery, which powered a radio and a light, as well as candles and flashlights.

However, the flashlights, we discovered, weren’t where we thought they were and when we eventually found them, the batteries were either dying or dead, and we did have to search around for the candles. And we don’t have any matches.

While we have a generator, which powered the freezer and the sump pump, we wouldn’t have had enough gas to last the entire outage if the outage wasn’t just on our street. That would have meant questionable food and a flooded basement.

In time for the next power outage, we require:
* Flashlights with working batteries
* The rain barrel attached and working properly
* A battery-operated backup sump pump
* Candles and matches in a secure location
* Gas for the generator

The Canadian Government also suggests people have the following in case of an emergency:

* Two litres of water per person per day, plus water for pets
* Three-day supply of food (including pet food) that will not spoil (remember to replace the food and water at least once a year)
* Manual can opener
* Battery-powered or windup radio, plus extra batteries
* First aid kit
* A "grab and go" bag with a two-week supply of medications
* Cash (or travellers cheques) in small bills, change for telephones
* Contact information and other important documents (license, birth certificate, passport, etc.) stored in a waterproof container
* Change of clothing and footwear for each family member

Visit http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/life-vie/emerg-urg-eng.php to learn more about preparing for an emergency.